This invention relates to sporting goods, more precisely towards those used in water, such as surfboards, kite boards, sailboards, wind surfers, wakeboards and sailboats.
Since the mid 1960's, surfboards have been constructed of a foam core surrounded by a fabric, the most common being fiberglass, which is saturated with a polyester or epoxy resin. For over forty years, the vast preponderance of surfboards produced were constructed in this manner. With construction materials being almost constant, the performance characteristics of a foam/glass board was and still is largely determined by its shape. Shapers have emerged as the icons of the industry who bring new models out each year—all made of foam and glass. Competitive surfers demand ever lighter, ever faster boards, and forty years of refinement has taken the shaper's artistry to its limit. Today's foam/glass boards are thin, fragile, subject to dings and cracks that absorb water and weaken the board, which ultimately fails. An active surfer will break boards every season, and pro surfers break 60 or more boards a year. Even with no damage, the individual foam cells eventually lose their elasticity, and the board ‘goes dead’. The industry is desperate for new technology.
Although shape is arguably the most important factor in board performance, other physical properties such as weight, center of mass, torsional and longitudinal rigidity are significant factors which must be controlled to allow the surfer maximum speed and control of the board.
Rigidity is an important factor in controlling the surfboard and must be carefully balanced for optimal performance. In extreme maneuvers, such as abrupt turns, this board can slightly flex affecting the type of water flow around it. In essence, we can retard the transition from laminar flow to turbulent flow by decreasing the board's rigidity. Laminar flow is preferred for maximum control of the board, but once again excessive board flex will adversely affect performance. A balance must be struck, and this suspension system allows the hull to act dynamically. Although, there have been several attempts at solving these problems, none do it as efficiently as this invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,800,006 B1 discloses a hollow surfboard with a longitudinal reinforcement system, but does not disclose the unique system of radiating lateral ribs that provide additional reinforcement and rigidity to the board, and does not address the different forces acting on deck and hull.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,827,617 B2 discloses a hollow surfboard with support zones that are designed to withstand the normal force of the surfer's weight to prevent collapse of the structure and does not affect the dynamics of the board.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,736,689 B2 discloses a hollow foam surfboard with a longitudinal support structure fabricated of machinable foam.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,692,321 B2 discloses a hollow foam surfboard with a longitudinal member that has the functions of stiffening the board and providing inertial mass.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,652,340 B2 discloses a surfboard with a rigid internal frame comprising of two c-shaped rails that form the outer perimeter of the board.
None of the aforementioned patents teach the use of a rib and spine-like interior reinforcement system that is suspended from the deck and stiffens the deck while allowing the hull to remain flexible. The strength to weight properties of carbon fiber laminates used in the spine & rib suspension system create a very unique product. The strength and stiffness is concentrated in the deck which is in direct contact with the surfer's feet, and thus transfers energy efficiently without the dampening, energy absorbing properties of foam. Also, this novel configuration allows for the direct attachment of the fin box to the suspension system. By attaching the fin box, which can be a piece of material, such as plastic, metal, or other rigid material that has a slot to insert and secure a fin, the energy needed to carve turns or other maneuvers is efficiently to the rail, or peripheral edge of the board, where most maneuvers begin. Solid foam boards and hollow boards with deck and hull connected dampen and absorb too much energy and adversely affect performance.